Bobby LePire

Wolfgang examines the life and game-changing career of Wolfgang Puck in a visually engaging and charming way. While it repeats itself every so often, the food on display is delectable, and every interview is a trove of information.

The comedy and drama balance each other well, while the varying styles create a wholly unique work of art that perfectly captures the uncertainty of the beginnings of quarantine.

Skywalkers: A Love Story is riveting and engrossing. The cinematography is beautiful, capturing the wonder and danger of being so high. The editing is sublime.

Words of War is a solid drama about a remarkable woman.

If you were to rewrite the first five minutes of Bloodthirsty and left everything else the exact same, you’d have a perfect movie. As it stands, thanks to atmospheric directing, mostly good writing, and a brilliant cast, you have a very good one that is high on the creep factor populated with likeable, engaging characters.

Villains stumbles early on. However, due to the precise editing, excellent design work, and a cast that knock it out of the park at every turn, the film is still highly enjoyable.

The Golem is creepy, as the cinematography is awash with atmosphere and the use of such a creature is interesting. The dramatic side of things mostly holds up as well, and when combined with the excellent acting, the movie turns out to be very effective and memorable.

Mr. Toilet: The World’s # 2 Man is an informative and fun documentary. I know that it sounds like an odd choice of words, given its subject matter, but it really is something special.

Monument is an engaging and dramatic look at an unknown true story. The cast is wonderful, led by an outstanding Mazzello, whose turn here shows why he’s been steadily working since he was a child. His co-stars are equally splendid.

While there are flaws in some of the segments, it is overall a fantastic production that manages to be creepy as hell. For fans of anthologies, these directors, and horror in general, this is a great ride.

Bad Times At The El Royale is creepy and mysterious in all the right ways. The tension builds as the non-sequential story allows the pieces to fall into place in mesmerizing fashion.

The Djinn is scary and harrowing with a shocking and impactful ending. The acting is perfect, and the visuals are a masterclass in creating tension.

While it is not for everyone, those who can stomach the admittedly cringey, well everything about the plot, will find much to love.

The last 20-minutes of the entire one hour and twenty-seven minute run time really work and successfully make the case that as much as the humans rescue the cats, it is also vice versa. It is just too bad that the first hour does not reach those same heights.

Pet Sematary balances humor, drama, and horror believably while exploring the inner turmoil of a seemingly ordinary couple; though the script does not go far enough in establishing their new life and dodgy special effects hurt some scenes. Happily, the cast makes up for these flaws with great turns, lead by Jeté Laurence, whose performance is reason enough to watch the film.

The Aviary is a stunning work of art about how people get sucked into something offering a glimmer of light and how that light becomes distorted.

Minghella’s incredible directorial debut is a technicolor, neon-drenched fever dream. It is told with remarkable visual prowess, jaw-dropping editing, a soundtrack to die for, career-best performances from its central cast, and most importantly, heart. This is not to be missed.

While Villains Inc. is overstuffed with ideas and story threads, it’s a fun and funny ride that’s worth your time. The cast, led by the ever-capable Everton, is a shining example of comedic talent. Each actor’s impeccable timing and seamless interaction with one another make for a delightful viewing experience.

The talent on display from the artists involved is incredible, the history of taxidermy is informative, and that it touches upon several different kinds of taxidermy make Stuffed an invaluable resource.

1BR has a lot to say about what a person is willing to sacrifice to be happy and if said sacrifice is worth it. It does so effectively and intensely, with a smart script, a few plotholes aside, and excellent directing. The acting across the board is terrific, and the culmination of Sarah’s tumultuous journey during the berserk ending is well worth taking.

The Beach Bum is not a terrible movie. The directing is competent, the score is excellent, and the cast is game and hilarious. However, considering who was at the helm, it is not focused enough and winds up with nothing to say.

Billie Piper’s first feature-length movie as screenwriter and director may have bitten off more than it could chew, but it is a daring debut that marches to the beat of its own drum. I respect it for that and enjoyed it more often than not.

Apocalypse Clown is a little too serious to work as a comedy, and a bit too comedic to work as drama. But the writers have paid attention to their narrative and have ensured that every plot strand comes together at the end. Plus, the cast, especially Palamides, is really terrific.

The Cuban does not develop everything in its screenplay to complete satisfaction. But what’s there is very good and believable. Combine that with the jaw-dropping directing and visual style, along with the pitch-perfect cast, and you are left with a compelling drama that is well worth it, flaws and all.

Cage and Kinnaman work well together, with the former being gloriously over-the-top and the latter keeping things grounded in a form of reality. All in all, this thriller works from beginning to end.

Swallowed features great acting, especially from Malone, and a truly intense final act that must be seen to be believed.

Most of the cast is excellent, and the writing is very clever. Couple those elements with the fun, cartoony animation, and one gets a pleasing little family film that, thankfully, does not fit into a specific mold.

Provocatively toying with horror conventions, Roxanne Benjamin ensures maximum impact when the terror begins; though the occasional awkward edit rears its ugly head. Anchored by a star-making lead turn and sporting superb sound design, Body At Brighton Rock is a bloody good time.